Ricardo Montalban dies at 88; 'Fantasy Island' actor - LA Times Ricardo Montalban dies at 88; 'Fantasy Island' actor Ricardo Montalban Ricardo Montalban pictured in a 1950 MGM photo. Ricardo Montalban pictured in a 1950 MGM photo. (MGM) Lorenza Muñoz Ricardo Montalban, the suave leading man who was one of the first Mexican-born actors to make it big in Hollywood and who was best known for his role as Mr. Roarke on TV's "Fantasy Island," has died. He was 88. Montalban died Wednesday morning at his Los Angeles home of complications related to old age, said his son-in-law, Gilbert Smith. Within the entertainment industry, Montalban was widely respected for his efforts to create opportunities for Latinos, although he and others believed that his activism hurt his career. In 1970, he founded the nonprofit Nosotros Foundation to improve the image and increase employment of Latinos in Hollywood.

"He paved the way for being outspoken about the images and roles that Latinos were playing in movies," said Luis Reyes, co-author of "Hispanics in Hollywood" (2000). On Wednesday, actor Edward James Olmos called Montalban "one of the true giants of arts and culture." "He was a stellar artist and a consummate person and performer with a tremendous understanding of culture . . . and the ability to express it in his work," Olmos told The Times. Montalban was already a star of Mexican movies in the 1940s when MGM cast him as a bullfighter opposite Esther Williams in "Fiesta" and put him under contract. He would go on to appear alongside such movie greats as Clark Gable and Lana Turner . When major film roles dried up for him in the 1970s, he turned to stage and eventually TV, where he was familiar to millions as the mysterious host whose signature line, “Welcome to Fantasy Island,” opened the hit ABC show that aired from 1978 to 1984. Mexican is not a nice-sounding word and Hollywood is at fault for this because we have been portrayed in this ungodly manner.

— Ricardo Montalban While "Fantasy Island" was renewing Montalban's career and giving him financial stability, he also won an Emmy for his performance as Chief Satangkai in the 1978 ABC miniseries "How the West Was Won." In the 1970s and '80s, Montalban was also familiar to TV viewers as a commercial spokesman for Chrysler. He was later widely spoofed for his silky allusion to the “soft Corinthian leather” of the Chrysler Cordoba, although no such leather existed. While making "Fantasy Island," Montalban also gave one of his best movie performances -- as Khan Noonien Singh in the “ Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan ” (1982), a follow-up to a beloved 1967 “Star Trek” television episode that also featured Montalban. New Yorker magazine critic Pauline Kael said Montalban's performance as Khan "was the only validation he has ever had of his power to command the big screen." Born Nov.

25, 1920, in Mexico City, Montalban was the youngest of four children of Castilian Spaniards who had immigrated in 1906 to the city, where Montalban's father owned a dry goods store. Montalban came to Los Angeles as a teenager with his oldest brother, Carlos, who had lived in the city and worked for the studios. "I felt as if I knew California already, because of the movies," Montalban said in "Reflections: A Life in Two Worlds," the 1980 autobiography he wrote with Bob Thomas. Montalban studied English at Fairfax High School, where an MGM talent scout noticed him in a student play. He was offered a screen test, but his brother advised him against taking it and took him on a business trip to New York City. The handsome Montalban soon found himself the star of a short film that was made to play on a screen atop a jukebox. That three-minute movie, which debuted at the Hurricane Bar in midtown Manhattan, led to small roles in plays.

When his mother's illness took him back to Mexico, Montalban got a one-line role in a parody of "The Three Musketeers," starring Cantinflas. Around that time, he also met Georgiana Belzer, a model and Loretta Young 's sister, whom he married in 1944. She died in 2007. Montalban intended to stay in Mexico, where his film career was taking off, but MGM wanted him for "Fiesta." In the 1947 musical, he had a memorable dance scene with a young Cyd Charisse .

"Fiesta" led to a contract at MGM, where he had a friendly rivalry with Fernando Lamas -- later Williams' husband off-screen -- as the studio's resident "Latin lovers." Bill Murray immortalized the duel between the two men with his classic "Saturday Night Live" skit, "Quien es mas macho, Fernando Lamas o Ricardo Montalban?" Montalban appeared as the Latin lover with Williams in two other late-1940s films, "On an Island With You" and "Neptune's Daughter." The blatant typecasting continued in the 1953 film "Latin Lovers" with Turner. "He was incredibly handsome, he gave a style and dignity to all of his roles -- no matter what role he played," said author Reyes. Director John Sturges gave Montalban the leading role of Lt. Peter Morales in "Mystery Street" in 1950 and, that same year, a starring role with June Allyson and Dick Powell in "Right Cross." But, as Montalban wrote in his autobiography, he was never cast in the dramatic role at MGM that would have made him a major movie star.

"He appeared to have everything else -- a marvelous camera face, the physique of a trained dancer, talent, a fine voice (he could even sing), warmth and great charm," Kael wrote. "Maybe the charm was a drawback -- it may have made him seem too likable." While making the 1951 Gable western "Across the Wide Missouri," Montalban fell from a horse and injured his spine. The injury caused him to walk with a limp, which he tried to mask during performances. In recent years, he had been confined to a wheelchair. After MGM dropped him in 1953, Montalban went on the road with Agnes Moorehead and others in George Bernard Shaw's "Don Juan in Hell," which was revived 20 years later on Broadway with him in the lead. In 1955, he appeared on Broadway in the short-lived "Seventh Heaven" and in the late 1950s starred with Lena Horne in "Jamaica" and earned a Tony nomination.

He played a Kabuki theater actor in the 1957 movie "Sayonara" and co-starred with Debbie Reynolds in the 1966 film "The Singing Nun." Decades later, he played the evil tycoon in the 1988 comedy hit "Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!" and had a prominent role as the grandfather in "Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over" (2003). Later TV appearances included the "Dynasty" spinoff "The Colbys" in the 1980s, and he voiced Señor Senior Sr. on the Disney Channel's animated series "Kim Possible," which debuted in 2002. But "Fantasy Island" created his lasting image. Elegantly attired in a white suit and black tie, Montalban fashioned such an iconic -- albeit somewhat kitschy -- figure that he often reprised the character in subsequent films and television shows. The show's executive producer, Aaron Spelling, told TV Guide in 1980 that Montalban gave Mr. Roarke the "otherworldly quality we needed." Many credited the repartee between Mr.

Roarke and the character of Tattoo, played by 3-foot-11-inch Herve Villechaize, for pulling in viewers. Villechaize died in 1993. Montalban said in TV Guide that his character "manipulates everything and everyone. In the eye of the fantasizer, Roarke has the power of life and death." Spelling's widow, Candy, said Wednesday in a statement: "Aaron was always humbled by Ricardo's gratitude for 'Fantasy Island.' " Although Montalban expressed appreciation for his success, he complained that Hollywood lacked respect for Mexican American actors. He said that while under contract at MGM, he portrayed Cubans, Brazilians and Argentines, but almost never Mexicans. "Mexican is not a nice-sounding word and Hollywood is at fault for this because we have been portrayed in this ungodly manner," he said. He challenged Hollywood to stop stereotyping Latin actors by casting them only as prostitutes, maids, gang-bangers and bandidos. Through Nosotros -- "we" in Spanish -- Montalban attempted to highlight and recognize Latino participation in the arts and entertainment.

In 1970, the foundation created the Golden Eagle Awards, which annually honors Latino stars, shows and movies. From 1965 to 1970, Montalban served as vice president of the Screen Actors Guild . After the Ricardo Montalban Foundation was formed in 1999, the organization purchased the former Doolittle Theatre near Hollywood and Vine to stage Latino productions and named the theater after Montalban. Judd Bernard, who was Montalban's publicist in the mid-1950s, told The Times that the actor "was the kindest man, with a lovely sense of humor, a religious man, a marvelous family man." The deeply spiritual Montalban once said that the guiding force in his life was his Catholic faith. In 1998, Pope John Paul II made him a Knight Commander of St. Gregory, the highest honor bestowed upon non-clergy in the Roman Catholic Church. Montalban is survived by two daughters, Laura Montalban and Anita Smith; two sons, Mark Montalban and Victor Montalban; and six grandchildren. Services will be private. Muñoz is a former Times staff writer. Times staff writer Valerie J.

Nelson contributed to this report. Obituary: Ricardo Montalban | Television & radio | The Guardian Share on Messenger Close In 1969, the Mexico-born actor Ricardo Montalban, who has died aged 88, helped found Nosotros, an organisation dedicated to removing negative Hispanic stereotypes from the film and television industry. Montalban, whose own career had its fair share of stereotyping, eventually managed to overcome his "Latin lover" tag and enter the American mainstream, especially as the enigmatic, white-suited Mr Roarke in the TV series Fantasy Island (1977-82), every week granting the wishes of several people on screen and vicariously, those of millions of TV viewers. Born in Mexico City, Montalban dreamed of becoming an engineer, but he was encouraged to go on the stage by his older sister and two brothers. He had sung and acted for them in childhood. After school he made for New York, where he got a few small roles on Broadway as gigolos in Somerset Maugham's Our Betters and Jacques Deval's Her Cardboard Lover, with Tallulah Bankhead, before returning to Mexico.

There, the dark and handsome 22-year-old played the romantic leads in four movie melodramas, until he was discovered by the MGM producer Jack Cummings, who got him a screen test. Profiting from President Roosevelt's "good neighbour" policy towards central and south America, Montalban was given an MGM contract, making a striking American film debut in Fiesta (1947), in which he and the bathing beauty Esther Williams played the twin son and daughter of a retired bullfighter. The father dreams of his son becoming a matador, but Ricardo only wants to compose music, while Esther strikes a blow for señoritas' lib by triumphing in the ring. Montalban not only composes Aaron Copland's El Salón México, but dances a couple of vigorous Mexican routines with Cyd Charisse. This was followed by another Esther Williams musical, On an Island With You (1948), in which Montalban again dances with Charisse. The same dancing team, plus Ann Miller, enlivened the weak Frank Sinatra vehicle The Kissing Bandit (1948) with the excitingly staged Dance of Fury, which was added after the film's completion.

Montalban really came into his own in Neptune's Daughter (1949) as José O'Rourke, a south American polo player, making advances to Williams by crooning Baby, It's Cold Outside and My Heart Beats Faster. In the same year, he appeared on the cover of Life magazine as "Hollywood's new romantic star". But he never really got beyond second league status in the next few years at MGM, playing the token Latino in William Wellman's excellent second world war drama Battleground (1949), and the exotic older man whom adolescent Jane Powell falls for in the delightful musical Two Weeks With Love (1950). Yet, there were meatier, socially conscious roles such as the Mexican immigration agent trying to smash the exploitation of farm workers smuggled into the US in Anthony Mann's gripping Border Incident (1949). In Right Cross (1950), Montalban played a Mexican boxer who feels discriminated against because of his race, and in Mystery Street (1950), he was a cop called Morales, who demands respect from a patrician suspect, even though "my family hasn't been here 100 years".

Montalban once said, "Let's face it, I have an accent. I think it's better to enact roles in which an accent, no matter what kind, is introduced." He then appeared in a couple more Wellman movies, playing a Native American in Across the Wide Missouri (1951) and a sympathetic Mexican handyman in My Man and I (1952). His last two films under his MGM contract (both 1953) were the lively Sombrero and the dull Latin Lovers, where he provided American heiress Lana Turner with romance in Rio.

As a freelance, he made use of his pleasant baritone voice in the Broadway musicals, The King and I, Can-Can and Jamaica (with Lena Horne), toured the US playing the apotheosis of the Latin lover in Shaw's Don Juan in Hell, starred in a number of forgettable B movies, and turned up in supporting roles such as a Kabuki actor in Sayonara (1957), a drug-dealing gangster (his first unsympathetic part) in Let No Man Write My Epitaph (1960), another Native American, with pigtails and a bowler hat, in John Ford's Cheyenne Autumn (1964) and a Belgian priest in The Singing Nun (1966). He had a slightly better role in Sweet Charity (1969) as a dashing Italian movie star who picks up dance-hall hostess Shirley MacLaine. After further mediocre parts, Montalban's career was rescued by Fantasy Island.

He was superbly suave as the owner and manager of a luxury, tropical island where, with the assistance of a dwarf (Hervé Villechaize), he offered the rich, for $10,000 a weekend, the possibility of having their wishes granted. He won an Emmy for the TV mini-series How the West Was Won in 1978 and returned to the big screen as the eponymous genetically engineered evil genius in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982), one of the most memorable villains that Captain Kirk and his crew ever had to combat. It was the role Montalban had played 15 years earlier on TV in an early Star Trek episode, Space Seed, in which, in a costume designed to show off his physique, he was a tyrant who controls a quarter of the Earth. In 1980, Montalban wrote an autobiography, Reflections: A Life in Two Worlds, justifiably claiming to have bridged the gap between the Hispanic world and Hollywood.

He also became known for a witty anecdote, his five stages of Hollywood: 1 Who is Ricardo Montalban?; 2 Get me Ricardo Montalban; 3 Get me a Ricardo Montalban type; 4 Get me a young Ricardo Montalban; 5 Who is Ricardo Montalban? He is survived by two sons and two daughters by his wife, Georgiana (the younger sister of Loretta Young), who died in 2007. • Ricardo Montalban, actor, born 25 November 1920; died 14 January 2009 Ricardo Montalban dies at 88 - The San Diego Union-Tribune SDG&E braces for potentially damaging winds across San Diego County Ricardo Montalban dies at 88 In this June 15, 1978 file photo, actor Ricardo Montalban of the television series "Fantasy Island" is shown in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Nick Ut, file) / AP In this June 15, 1978 file photo, actor Ricardo Montalban of the television series "Fantasy Island" is shown in Los Angeles.

(AP Photo/Nick Ut, file) In this June 15, 1978 file photo, actor Ricardo Montalban of the television series "Fantasy Island" is shown in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Nick Ut, file) (/ AP) SANDY COHEN, The Associated Press Ricardo Montalban, the Mexican-born actor who became a star in splashy MGM musicals and later as the wish-fulfilling Mr. Roarke in TV's "Fantasy Island," died Wednesday morning at his home, his family said. He was 88. Montalban's death was first announced at a city council meeting by president Eric Garcetti , who represents the district where the actor lived. He died "from complications of advancing age," his son-in-law, Gilbert Smith, later said. "He was so gracious, and Aaron was always humbled by Ricardo's gratitude for 'Fantasy Island," said Candy Spelling, wife of the late Aaron Spelling, who created the show. "I miss him already, and wish his family well." Montalban had been a star in Mexican movies when MGM brought him to Hollywood in 1946.

He was cast in the leading role opposite Esther Williams in "Fiesta," and starred again with the swimming beauty in "On an Island with You" and "Neptune's Daughter." But Montalban was best known as the faintly mysterious, white-suited Mr. Roarke, who presided over a tropical island resort where visitors fulfilled their lifelong dreams – usually at the unexpected expense of a difficult life lesson. "I am Mr. Roarke, your host. Welcome to Fantasy Island," he told arriving guests. Montalban had already coined a cultural catchphrase before the show, which ran from 1978 to 1984.

As the celebrity spokesman for mid-1970s models of the Chrysler Cordoba, Montalban unwittingly opened himself up to endless imitation when he described the car's optional seats as being "available in soft, Corinthian leather." More recently, he appeared as villains in two hits of the 1980s: "Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan" and – in line with his always-apparent sense of humor about himself – the farcical "The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad." Montalban's longtime friend and publicist David Brokaw said the actor was "exactly how you'd imagine him to be" off camera. "What you saw on the screen and on television and on talk shows, this very courtly, modest, dignified individual, that's exactly who he was," Brokaw said. Raul Yzaguirre, longtime president of National Council of La Raza, called Montalban "a hero" and noted the actor's contributions to his community. Montalban helped found the ALMA Awards, which honor and encourage fair portrayals of Latinos in entertainment. "He was just a marvelous human being and an inspiration to be around," Yzaguirre said.

"I hope his spirit pervades more of Hollywood – the spirit of humility and excellence and giving back to the community and just plain decency." Between movie and TV roles, Montalban was active in the theater. He starred on Broadway in the 1957 musical "Jamaica" opposite Lena Horne, picking up a Tony nomination for best actor in a musical. Montalban also toured in Shaw's "Don Juan in Hell," playing Don Juan, a performance critic John Simon later recalled as "irresistible." In 1965 he appeared on tour in the Yul Brynner role in "The King and I." "Fantasy Island" received high ratings for most of its run on ABC, and still appears in reruns. Mr. Roarke and his sidekick, Tattoo, played by the 3-foot, 11-inch Herve Villechaize, reached the state of TV icons. Villechaize died in 1993. In a 1978 interview, Montalban analyzed the ethereal quality of his character: "Was he a magician? A hypnotist? Did he use hallucinogenic drugs? I finally came across a character that works for me.

He has the essence of mystery, but I need a point of view so that my performance is consistent. I now play him 95 percent believable and 5 percent mystery. He doesn't have to behave mysteriously; only what he does is mysterious." In 1970, Montalban organized fellow Latino actors into an organization called Nosotros ("We"), and he became the first president. Their aim: to improve the image of Spanish-speaking Americans on the screen; to assure that Latin-American actors were not discriminated against; to stimulate Latino actors to study their profession. Montalban commented in a 1970 interview: "The Spanish-speaking American boy sees Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid wipe out a regiment of Bolivian soldiers. He sees `The Wild Bunch' annihilate the Mexican army. It's only natural for him to say, `Gee, I wish I were an Anglo.'" Montalban was no stranger to prejudice. He was born Nov. 25, 1920, in Mexico City, the son of parents who had emigrated from Spain. The boy was brought up to speak the Castilian Spanish of his forebears.

To Mexican ears that sounded strange and effeminate, and young Ricardo was jeered by his schoolmates. His mother also dressed him with old-country formality, and he wore lace collars and short pants "long after my legs had grown long and hairy," he wrote in his 1980 autobiography, "Reflections: A Life in Two Worlds." "It is not easy to grow up in a country that has different customs from your own family's." While driving through Texas with his brother, Montalban recalled seeing a sign on a diner: "No Dogs or Mexicans Allowed." In Los Angeles, where he attended Fairfax High School, he and a friend were refused entrance to a dance hall because they were Mexican. Rather than seek a career in Hollywood, Montalban played summer stock in New York. He returned to Mexico City and played leading roles in movies from 1941 to 1945. That led to an MGM contract. "Movies were never kind to me; I had to fight for every inch of film," he reflected in 1970.

"Usually my best scenes would end up on the cutting-room floor." Montalban had better luck after leaving MGM in 1953, though he was usually cast in ethnic roles. He appeared as a Japanese kabuki actor in "Sayonara" and an Indian in "Cheyenne Autumn." His other films included "Madame X," "The Singing Nun," "Sweet Charity," "Escape from the Planet of the Apes" and "Conquest of the Planet of the Apes." Montalban was sometimes said to be the source of Billy Crystal 's "you look MAHvelous" character on "Saturday Night Live," though the inspiration was really Argentinian-born actor Fernando Lamas. In 1944, Montalban married Georgiana Young, actress and model and younger sister of actress Loretta Young. Both Roman Catholics, they remained one of Hollywood's most devoted couples. She died in 2007. They had four children: Laura, Mark, Anita and Victor. Montalban suffered a spinal injury in a horse fall while making a 1951 Clark Gable Western, "Across the Wide Missouri," and thereafter walked with a limp he managed to mask during his performances.

Despite the constant pain that grew worse as the decades wore on, the actor was able to take a role in an Aaron Spelling TV series, "Heaven Help Us." Twice a month in 1994, he flew to San Antonio for two or three days of filming as an angel who watched over a young couple. And when asked to play the grandfather in "Spy Kids 2" and "Spy Kids 3," Montalban told filmmaker Robert Rodriguez in his self-effacing way: "I'm old. I'm in a wheelchair. And I have a Mexican accent. Three strikes and you're out," recalled Joel Brokaw, another of the actor's spokesmen. "But Robert Rodriguez idolized Ricardo, and came up to his home in the Hollywood Hills to convince him to do the role," Brokaw said. He did, and despite his obvious pain while waiting to do a scene, "something miraculous would happen," Brokaw said. "As soon as Rodriguez said 'Action,' his pain would completely disappear, time and time again. I asked him about this.

He smiled and said, 'It's impossible for my mind to do two things at once.'" Montalban is survived by daughters Laura and Anita, sons Victor and Mark and six grandchildren. ––– Ricardo Montalban Actor | TVGuide.com Fantasy Island Is Also Being Rebooted with a Female Lead Oct 12, 2015 1:08 PM EDT Fantasy Island is the latest series to get the reboot treatment. ABC and Sony Pictures Television have reteamed to revive the drama series with a few twists, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Instead of taking place on an island where people pay t… Read more Amazon.com: Fantasy Island: Season 3: Ricardo Montalban, Herve Villechaize, Earl Bellamy: Movies & TV Movies & TV & FREE Shipping on orders over $49. Details In Stock. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available. Fantasy Island: Season 3 has been added to your Cart Add to Cart Want it tomorrow, Dec. 17? Order within and choose Saturday Delivery at checkout. Details Ship to: Please enter a valid US zip code. Please enter a valid US zip code. Shipping to a APO/FPO/DPO?

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Fantasy Island, the long-running and wildly popular series, is back for another season of making dreams a reality. Each week two guests arrived on Fantasy Island to have their wishes and fantasies fulfilled. Their mysterious host, the debonair and suave white-suited Mr. Roarke (Ricardo Montalban), along with his energetic sidekick Tatoo (Herve Villechaize), would conjure up the amazing and sometimes the impossible to grant their wishes . . . but there was always a twist that would lead the guest to some unexpected conclusions. Season Three delivers, once again, a treasure trove of phenomenal guest stars including Peter Graves (Mission Impossible), Abe Vigoda (Barney Miller, Conan), Doris Roberts (Everybody Loves Raymond), Roddy McDowall (Planet Of The Apes), Don Adams (Get Smart), Sonny Bono (The Sonny & Cher Show), Dick Sargent (Bewitched), Fred Williamson (Starsky & Hutch), John Larroquette (Night Court), David Cassidy (The Partridge Family), Leslie Nielsen (The Naked Gun), Bob Denver (Gilligans Island), American sweetheart Annette Funicello, crooner Robert Goulet and many more!

Special Features Format: Multiple Formats, Color, NTSC Language: English Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats. ) Number of discs: 6 DVD Release Date: October 23, 2012 Run Time: 1080 minutes Page 1 of 1 Start over Sponsored Products are advertisements for products sold by merchants on Amazon.com. When you click on a Sponsored Product ad, you will be taken to an Amazon detail page where you can learn more about the product and purchase it. To learn more about Amazon Sponsored Products, click here . By Magnifying Glass on November 15, 2012 Format: DVD Verified Purchase The season gets off to a bland, lumbering start, but by the 6th show things begin to pickup. The 7th show is perhaps the grandest episode of the first three seasons: "The Wedding" (5+); it is a followup of Season 2's "Return" episode. The woman, whom Roarke fell in love with, returns to marry him. Gorgeous scenery, beautiful lilting music, and tear-producing emotional tugs. . . .

Many Fantasy Island shows open with some silly sub-story about the diminutive Tattoo. By season 3, the writers ran out of ideas. By the 8th show, these were dropped, with the exception of the 12th show where Tattoo has disguised himself as a fire hydrant. . . . Many stories have a touch of magic. As a guest, Mr. Roarke may provide you with a magic potion to rewind your years, to slough off your pounds, to unleash your alter ego, to restore your eyesight, or to instill you with telekinetic power. Or, perhaps, he may send you back to 1918 to be a flying ace, to the 1860's to romance your "Gone With the Wind" heartthrobs, to the first century BC to romance Mark Antony as Cleopatra, or to an era of manly cavemen. Or, perhaps, he may provide you with a magic ring: its crystal foretells your future. Or, perhaps, he may arrange an encounter with a mythical mermaid or a love goddess.

Or, perhaps, he may help you prevent an ancient evil spirit from taking possession of your body, or help you conquer your alter ego possessed dummy by instilling life in it so that you can confront it directly and banish it forever. Or, perhaps, he may just help you crossover to the ethereal other side. . . . Picture (DVD 2012): 3.5 to 4. Subtitles: none. Ricardo Montalban - Biography - IMDb Ricardo Montalban Biography Showing all 39 items Jump to: Overview (5) | Mini Bio (1) | Spouse (1) | Trade Mark (1) | Trivia (25) | Personal Quotes (5) | Salary (1) Overview (5) Ricardo Gonzalo Pedro Montalbán y Merino Nickname 6' (1.83 m) Mini Bio (1) Handsome Ricardo Montalban was the epitome of continental elegance, charm and grace on film and television and in the late 1940s and early 1950s reinvigorated the Rudolph Valentino / Ramon Novarro "Latin Lover" style in Hollywood without achieving top screen stardom.

Moreover, unlike most minority actors of his time, he fought to upscale the Latin (particularly, Mexican) image in Hollywood. His noted militancy may have cost him a number of roles along the way, but he gained respect and a solid reputation as a mover and shaker within the acting community while providing wider-range opportunities for Spanish-speaking actors via Los Angeles theater. He was born in Mexico City on November 25, 1920, the youngest of four children to Castilian Spanish immigrants, Ricarda Merino and Jenaro Montalbán. His father was a dry goods store owner. Montalbán moved to Los Angeles as a teen and lived with his much older brother Carlos Montalbán , who was then pursuing show business as both an actor and dancer. Ricardo attended Fairfax High School in Hollywood and was noticed in a student play but passed on a screen test that was offered. Instead, he traveled with his brother to New York, where he earned a bit part in the Tallulah Bankhead stage vehicle "Her Cardboard Lover" in 1940, and won subsequent roles in the plays "Our Betters" and "Private Affair".

Returning to Mexico to care for his extremely ill mother, his dark good looks and magnetic style helped propel him into the Spanish-language film industry. After nearly a dozen or so films, he was on the verge of stardom in Mexico when MGM took an interest in him and he relocated back to Los Angeles. Making his Hollywood leading debut as a robust bullfighter and twin brother of MGM star Esther Williams in the "B"-level musical Fiesta (1947), he attracted immediate attention. His second film with Williams, On an Island with You (1948), led to a contract with the studio, where he routinely ignited "Latin Lover" sparks opposite such prime female stars as Cyd Charisse , Shelley Winters , Anne Bancroft , Pier Angeli , Laraine Day and (once again) Esther Williams, this time in Neptune's Daughter (1949) (one of his MGM extravaganzas opposite gorgeous Lana Turner was actually called Latin Lovers (1953)). His strongest Hispanic competition in films at the time was Argentine-born fellow MGM player Fernando Lamas , who wound up eventually marrying Esther Williams after divorcing another MGM beauty, Arlene Dahl .

Although Montalban was the epitome of the "Latin lover" type, it actually damaged his cinematic career, pigeonholing him and hurting his momentum. He was seldom able to extricate himself from the usual portrayals of gringos, bandidos and gigolos, although he did manage to find an interesting film from time to time, such as his turn as a Mexican undercover cop in the gritty Border Incident (1949), Mystery Street (1950), the classic war film Battleground (1949) and the hard-edged boxing drama Right Cross (1950). Occasionally, he was handed ethnic roles outside the Latino realm, such as his villainous Blackfoot Indian chief in Across the Wide Missouri (1951) starring Clark Gable , his heroic, bare-chested rebel warrior in the steamy Italian sword-and-sandals costumer The Queen of Babylon (1954) alongside Rhonda Fleming and his Japanese Kabuki actor in the Oscar-winning feature Sayonara (1957).

It was during the filming of Across the Wide Missouri (1951) that he suffered a serious injury to his spine after he slipped and fell off a running horse, which resulted in a permanent limp. Well established by this time, Montalban returned to the stage in 1954 with varied roles in such fare as "Can-Can", "The Inspector General", "South Pacific" and "Accent on Youth", before making his 1955 Broadway debut as Chico in the original musical "Seventh Heaven" with Gloria DeHaven , Kurt Kasznar and Bea Arthur . He then earned a Tony nomination as the only non-African-American actor in the tropical-themed musical "Jamaica" (1957) co-starring Lena Horne . He also toured as the title role in "Don Juan in Hell" in the 1960s, returning to Broadway with it in 1973 with Agnes Moorehead , Paul Henreid and Edward Mulhare , and touring once again with the show in 1991. His strong work ethic and reservoir of talent enabled him to continue on television long after his exotic beefcake status in films had waned.

He had married Loretta Young 's half-sister Georgiana Young in 1944, and appeared on his sister-in-law's television series ( The New Loretta Young Show (1962)) several times. He also showed up in a number of television dramatic anthologies ( Playhouse 90 (1956) and Colgate Theatre (1958)) and made guest appearances on the popular series of the day, such as Death Valley Days (1952), Bonanza (1959), Burke's Law (1963), Dr. Kildare (1961), The Defenders (1961) and, more notably, a 1967 Star Trek (1966) episode in which he memorably portrayed galaxy arch-villain Khan Noonien Singh. He resurrected this character memorably in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982).

Over the years, he continued to appear occasionally on the big screen, typically playing continental smoothies, in such films as Love Is a Ball (1963), Madame X (1966) and Sweet Charity (1969), but it was television that finally made him a household name. Montalban captivated audiences as the urbane, white-suited concierge of mystery Mr. Roarke in the Aaron Spelling series Fantasy Island (1977). He stayed with the series for six seasons, buoyed by his popular "odd couple" teaming with the late Hervé Villechaize , who played Mr. Roarke's diminutive sidekick, and fellow greeter, Tattoo. While it may have seemed a somewhat lightweight and undemanding role for the talented Montalban, it nevertheless became his signature character. The series faltered after Villechaize, who had become erratic and difficult on the set, was fired from the series in 1983. Corpulent Britisher Christopher Hewett , as Lawrence, replaced the Tattoo character but to little avail and the series was canceled one season later. The troubled Villechaize committed suicide in 1993.

An Emmy winner for his role in the miniseries How the West Was Won (1976) and a noteworthy villain in the Dynasty (1981) spin-off soap series The Colbys (1985), Montalban was also famous for a series of television commercials in which he returned somewhat to his "Latin lover" persona, primarily in a series of slick commercials for Chrysler's Cordoba automobile, pitching the elegant auto with its "rich, Corinthian leather" (it later came to light that this phrase had been conjured up as a marketing tool, and that there was no such product from Corinth or anywhere else!). As for film and television work in his later years, he good-naturedly spoofed his Hollywood image in a number of featured parts, including a hilarious send-up of himself in The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988). Two of his final, larger-scaled film roles were as the grandfather in the two "Spy Kids" sequels: Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams (2002) and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003).

His deep, soothing, confident tones could also be heard in animated features and television series. Frustrated at Hollywood's portrayal of Mexicans, he helped to found, and gave great support, attention and distinction to, the image-building "Nosotros" organization, a Los Angeles theatre-based company designed for Latinos working in the industry. Nosotros and the Montalban foundation eventually bought the historic Doolittle Theater in Hollywood and renamed the theatre in his honor in 2004. It became the first major theater facility (1200 seats) in the United States to carry the name of a Latino performing artist. In 1980 he, along with Bob Thomas , published his memoir, entitled "Reflections: A Life in Two Worlds". A class act who was beloved in the industry for his gentle and caring nature, the long-term effects of his spinal injury eventually confined him to a wheelchair in his later years. He died in his Los Angeles home of complications from old age on January 14, 2009 at age 88. His wife having died in 2007, he was survived by their two daughters and two sons: Laura, Anita, Victor and Mark.

- IMDb Mini Biography By: Gary Brumburgh / gr-home@pacbell.net Spouse (1) ( 26 October 1944 - 13 November 2007) (her death) (4 children) Trade Mark (1) Wife Georgiana Young 's sister was actress Loretta Young . In 1993, he had a 9 1/2 hour surgical operation on his spine to repair an old back injury he received while filming Across the Wide Missouri (1951). He had been in constant pain ever since and confined to a wheelchair as a paraplegic. Brother of actor Carlos Montalbán . For years, he was a commercial spokesperson for Chrysler Corporation automobiles. Half-brother-in-law of Polly Ann Young , Sally Blane and Loretta Young , half-uncle of Judy Lewis and Christopher Lewis . Agreed to reprise his role of Khan Noonien Singh in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) for only $100,000 because he loved the role so much. He also watched the original series episode "Space Seed" to recall Khan, worried that he would sound like Mr.

Roarke. Was nominated for Broadway's 1958 Tony Award as Best Actor (Musical) for "Jamaica". Is one of two very famous "Star Trek" movie villains to reprise his/her role. He played Khan Noonien Singh in both the television series episode Star Trek: Space Seed (1967) and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982). Had appeared in episodes of three different series with Madlyn Rhue : Bonanza (1959), Star Trek (1966) and Fantasy Island (1977). They played husband and wife in the first two of these series. In 1970, he founded the non-profit organization "Nosotros" whose goal is "to help fulfill the goals of persons of Spanish-speaking origin in the motion picture and television industry". In 1999, he purchased an old Hollywood theater designed by the well-known architect John C. Austin which was built in 1927: "...conceiving a plan to rebuild this theater to benefit the diverse community and to build a state-of-the-art school to compliment this live theater".

Had played a Japanese gangster in the television series episode Hawaii Five-O: Samurai (1968). The eye makeup was so binding that Montalban could not blink. As a result, the continuous shots of Montalban are always short. The effect is a little jarring. Most people blink when they move their head to readjust their eyes. Montalban never does when moving his head on camera. Best remembered by the public for his starring role as Mr. Roarke on Fantasy Island (1977). Had four children with Georgiana Young . Sons: Victor Montalban (born April 18, 1952) Mark Montalban (born March 13, 1947). Daughters: Laura Montalban, clothing designer (born August 12, 1945) and Anita Montalban (born March 21, 1949). His friendly "Latin Lover" rivalry with fellow Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer star Fernando Lamas prodded a memorable Saturday Night Live (1975) sketch in later years with Bill Murray titled "Quien es mas macho, Fernando Lamas o Ricardo Montalban?".

Made 13 Spanish-language films in Mexico before his American debut in Fiesta (1947). Montalban's dignified demeanor and rich Spanish accent added flair to the small screen on a number of television series. This also established him as a popular pitchman for Maxwell House Coffee and Chrysler Corporation. Replaced his friendly Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer rival Fernando Lamas in the musical comedy Latin Lovers (1953) opposite Lana Turner whose at-that-time, real-life affair with Lamas had reached a tempestuous conclusion. Had played two villains who have a device that induces characters to accept commands to kill someone: Khan Noonien Singh in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982), and Vincent Ludwig in The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988). Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on February 8, 1960. In 1986, he recorded a public service announcement, celebrating America's generosity and hospitality to him as a foreign-born actor, honoring the 100th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty. He was awarded Knight of the Order of St.

Gregory the Great by Pope John Paul II in 1998, the highest honor bestowed upon a layperson in the Roman Catholic Church. He was a member of the Good Shepherd Parish and the Catholic Motion Picture Guild in Beverly Hills, California. Following his death, he was interred with his wife Georgiana Young at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California. Personal Quotes (5) [upon winning his Emmy Award for How the West Was Won (1976)] I don't know about Mr. Roarke, but this certainly fulfills my fantasy. Thank you very much. [In a 1978 interview, analyzing the success of Fantasy Island (1977)] What is appealing is the idea of attaining the unattainable and learning from it. Once you obtain a fantasy, it becomes a reality, and that reality is not as exciting as your fantasy. Through the fantasies, you learn to appreciate your own realities. Mexican is not a nice-sounding word and Hollywood is at fault for this because we have been portrayed in this ungodly manner. [on his famous role on Fantasy Island (1977)] Mr. Roarke manipulates everything and everyone.

In the eye of the fantasizer, Roarke has the power of life and death. [on the Nosotros Foundation] I received tremendous support, but there also were some negative repercussions. I was accused of being a militant, and as a result, I lost jobs. Salary (1) ‘Fantasy Island’ star Ricardo Montalban dies - today > entertainment - today > entertainment > celebs - TODAY.com ‘Fantasy Island’ star Ricardo Montalban dies Mexican-born actor, 88, became a star in splashy MGM musicals Below: Advertise Gregg DeGuire / Getty Images file Ricardo Montalban, the Mexican-born actor who became a star in splashy MGM musicals and later as Mr. Roarke in TV's "Fantasy Island," died Wednesday morning at age 88. updated 1/20/2009 6:54:54 PM ET 2009-01-20T23:54:54 + - LOS ANGELES — Ricardo Montalban, the Mexican-born actor who became a star in splashy MGM musicals and later as the wish-fulfilling Mr.

Roarke in TV’s “Fantasy Island,” died Wednesday morning at his home, his family said. He was 88. Montalban’s death was first announced at a city council meeting by president Eric Garcetti, who represents the district where the actor lived. He died “from complications of advancing age,” his son-in-law, Gilbert Smith, later said. “He was so gracious, and Aaron was always humbled by Ricardo’s gratitude for ’Fantasy Island,” said Candy Spelling, wife of the late Aaron Spelling, who created the show. “I miss him already, and wish his family well.” Montalban had been a star in Mexican movies when MGM brought him to Hollywood in 1946. He was cast in the leading role opposite Esther Williams in “Fiesta,” and starred again with the swimming beauty in “On an Island with You” and “Neptune’s Daughter.” But Montalban was best known as the faintly mysterious, white-suited Mr. Roarke, who presided over a tropical island resort where visitors fulfilled their lifelong dreams — usually at the unexpected expense of a difficult life lesson. “I am Mr. Roarke, your host. Welcome to Fantasy Island,” he told arriving guests.

Montalban had already coined a cultural catchphrase before the show, which ran from 1978 to 1984. As the celebrity spokesman for mid-1970s models of the Chrysler Cordoba, Montalban unwittingly opened himself up to endless imitation when he described the car’s optional seats as being “available in soft, Corinthian leather.” More recently, he appeared as villains in two hits of the 1980s: “Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan” and — in line with his always-apparent sense of humor about himself — the farcical “The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad.” Advertise ‘He was just a marvelous human being’ Montalban’s longtime friend and publicist David Brokaw said the actor was “exactly how you’d imagine him to be” off camera. “What you saw on the screen and on television and on talk shows, this very courtly, modest, dignified individual, that’s exactly who he was,” Brokaw said. Raul Yzaguirre, longtime president of National Council of La Raza, called Montalban “a hero” and noted the actor’s contributions to his community.

Montalban helped found the ALMA Awards, which honor and encourage fair portrayals of Latinos in entertainment. “He was just a marvelous human being and an inspiration to be around,” Yzaguirre said. “I hope his spirit pervades more of Hollywood — the spirit of humility and excellence and giving back to the community and just plain decency.” Between movie and TV roles, Montalban was active in the theater. He starred on Broadway in the 1957 musical “Jamaica” opposite Lena Horne, picking up a Tony nomination for best actor in a musical. More Entertainment stories 'Toy Story' toys burn up in prank on mom Montalban also toured in Shaw’s “Don Juan in Hell,” playing Don Juan, a performance critic John Simon later recalled as “irresistible.” In 1965 he appeared on tour in the Yul Brynner role in “The King and I.” “Fantasy Island” received high ratings for most of its run on ABC, and still appears in reruns. Mr. Roarke and his sidekick, Tattoo, played by the 3-foot, 11-inch Herve Villechaize, reached the state of TV icons.

Villechaize died in 1993. In a 1978 interview, Montalban analyzed the ethereal quality of his character: “Was he a magician? A hypnotist? Did he use hallucinogenic drugs? I finally came across a character that works for me. He has the essence of mystery, but I need a point of view so that my performance is consistent. I now play him 95 percent believable and 5 percent mystery. He doesn’t have to behave mysteriously; only what he does is mysterious.” No stranger to prejudice In 1970, Montalban organized fellow Latino actors into an organization called Nosotros (“We”), and he became the first president. Their aim: to improve the image of Spanish-speaking Americans on the screen; to assure that Latin-American actors were not discriminated against; to stimulate Latino actors to study their profession. Montalban commented in a 1970 interview: “The Spanish-speaking American boy sees Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid wipe out a regiment of Bolivian soldiers. He sees ‘The Wild Bunch’ annihilate the Mexican army.

It’s only natural for him to say, ‘Gee, I wish I were an Anglo.”’ Montalban was no stranger to prejudice. He was born Nov. 25, 1920, in Mexico City, the son of parents who had emigrated from Spain. The boy was brought up to speak the Castilian Spanish of his forebears. To Mexican ears that sounded strange and effeminate, and young Ricardo was jeered by his schoolmates. His mother also dressed him with old-country formality, and he wore lace collars and short pants “long after my legs had grown long and hairy,” he wrote in his 1980 autobiography, “Reflections: A Life in Two Worlds.” Advertise “It is not easy to grow up in a country that has different customs from your own family’s.” While driving through Texas with his brother, Montalban recalled seeing a sign on a diner: “No Dogs or Mexicans Allowed.” In Los Angeles, where he attended Fairfax High School, he and a friend were refused entrance to a dance hall because they were Mexican. Rather than seek a career in Hollywood, Montalban played summer stock in New York.

He returned to Mexico City and played leading roles in movies from 1941 to 1945. That led to an MGM contract. “Movies were never kind to me; I had to fight for every inch of film,” he reflected in 1970. “Usually my best scenes would end up on the cutting-room floor.” Montalban had better luck after leaving MGM in 1953, though he was usually cast in ethnic roles. He appeared as a Japanese kabuki actor in “Sayonara” and an Indian in “Cheyenne Autumn.” His other films included “Madame X,” “The Singing Nun,” “Sweet Charity,” “Escape from the Planet of the Apes” and “Conquest of the Planet of the Apes.” Montalban was sometimes said to be the source of Billy Crystal’s “you look MAHvelous” character on “Saturday Night Live,” though the inspiration was really Argentinian-born actor Fernando Lamas. Loving husband, father In 1944, Montalban married Georgiana Young, actress and model and younger sister of actress Loretta Young. Both Roman Catholics, they remained one of Hollywood’s most devoted couples.

She died in 2007. They had four children: Laura, Mark, Anita and Victor. Montalban suffered a spinal injury in a horse fall while making a 1951 Clark Gable Western, “Across the Wide Missouri,” and thereafter walked with a limp he managed to mask during his performances. Despite the constant pain that grew worse as the decades wore on, the actor was able to take a role in an Aaron Spelling TV series, “Heaven Help Us.” Twice a month in 1994, he flew to San Antonio for two or three days of filming as an angel who watched over a young couple. And when asked to play the grandfather in “Spy Kids 2” and “Spy Kids 3,” Montalban told filmmaker Robert Rodriguez in his self-effacing way: “I’m old. I’m in a wheelchair. And I have a Mexican accent. Three strikes and you’re out,” recalled Joel Brokaw, another of the actor’s spokesmen. “But Robert Rodriguez idolized Ricardo, and came up to his home in the Hollywood Hills to convince him to do the role,” Brokaw said.

He did, and despite his obvious pain while waiting to do a scene, “something miraculous would happen,” Brokaw said. “As soon as Rodriguez said ’Action,’ his pain would completely disappear, time and time again. I asked him about this. He smiled and said, ’It’s impossible for my mind to do two things at once.”’ Montalban is survived by daughters Laura and Anita, sons Victor and Mark and six grandchildren. Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

4/10/2015 3:58:42 PM +00:00 2015-04-10T15:58:42 share 4/10/2015 5:54:50 PM +00:00 2015-04-10T17:54:50 share 4/10/2015 1:32:31 PM +00:00 2015-04-10T13:32:31 share 4/10/2015 5:29:18 PM +00:00 2015-04-10T17:29:18 share 4/10/2015 6:44:22 PM +00:00 2015-04-10T18:44:22 share Ricardo Montalban dies at 88 - NY Daily News Mexican-American actor Ricardo Montalban dies at 88 Ricardo Mont

alban dies at 88 Thursday, January 15, 2009, 11:10 AM Ricardo Montalban atthe Unveiling and Gala Inauguration of the Ricardo Montalban Theatre on May 2004 in Hollywood, California.

(Brown/Getty) Thursday, January 15, 2009, 11:10 AM LOS ANGELES — Ricardo Montalban , the Mexican-born actor who became a star in splashy MGM musicals and later as the wish-fulfilling Mr. Roarke in TV's " Fantasy Island ," died Wednesday morning at his home, his family said. He was 88. Montalban's death was first announced at a city council meeting by president Eric Garcetti , who represents the district where the actor lived. He died "from complications of advancing age," his son-in-law, Gilbert Smith , later said. "He was so gracious, and Aaron was always humbled by Ricardo's gratitude for 'Fantasy Island," said Candy Spelling , wife of the late Aaron Spelling , who created the show. "I miss him already, and wish his family well." Montalban had been a star in Mexican movies when MGM brought him to Hollywood in 1946.

He was cast in the leading role opposite Esther Williams in "Fiesta," and starred again with the swimming beauty in "On an Island with You" and "Neptune's Daughter." But Montalban was best known as the faintly mysterious, white-suited Mr. Roarke, who presided over a tropical island resort where visitors fulfilled their lifelong dreams — usually at the unexpected expense of a difficult life lesson. "I am Mr. Roarke, your host. Welcome to Fantasy Island," he told arriving guests. Montalban had already coined a cultural catchphrase before the show, which ran from 1978 to 1984.

As the celebrity spokesman for mid-1970s models of the Chrysler Cordoba, Montalban unwittingly opened himself up to endless imitation when he described the car's optional seats as being "available in soft, Corinthian leather." More recently, he appeared as villains in two hits of the 1980s: " Star Trek : The Wrath of Khan" and — in line with his always-apparent sense of humor about himself — the farcical "The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad." Montalban's longtime friend and publicist David Brokaw said the actor was "exactly how you'd imagine him to be" off camera. "What you saw on the screen and on television and on talk shows, this very courtly, modest, dignified individual, that's exactly who he was," Brokaw said. Raul Yzaguirre , longtime president of National Council of La Raza , called Montalban "a hero" and noted the actor's contributions to his community. Montalban helped found the ALMA Awards , which honor and encourage fair portrayals of Latinos in entertainment. "He was just a marvelous human being and an inspiration to be around," Yzaguirre said.

"I hope his spirit pervades more of Hollywood — the spirit of humility and excellence and giving back to the community and just plain decency." Between movie and TV roles, Montalban was active in the theater. He starred on Broadway in the 1957 musical " Jamaica " opposite Lena Horne , picking up a Tony nomination for best actor in a musical. Montalban also toured in Shaw's " Don Juan in Hell," playing Don Juan, a performance critic John Simon later recalled as "irresistible." In 1965 he appeared on tour in the Yul Brynner role in "The King and I." "Fantasy Island" received high ratings for most of its run on ABC, and still appears in reruns. Mr. Roarke and his sidekick, Tattoo, played by the 3-foot, 11-inch Herve Villechaize , reached the state of TV icons. Villechaize died in 1993. In a 1978 interview, Montalban analyzed the ethereal quality of his character: "Was he a magician? A hypnotist? Did he use hallucinogenic drugs? I finally came across a character that works for me.

He has the essence of mystery, but I need a point of view so that my performance is consistent. I now play him 95 percent believable and 5 percent mystery. He doesn't have to behave mysteriously; only what he does is mysterious." In 1970, Montalban organized fellow Latino actors into an organization called Nosotros ("We"), and he became the first president. Their aim: to improve the image of Spanish-speaking Americans on the screen; to assure that Latin-American actors were not discriminated against; to stimulate Latino actors to study their profession. Montalban commented in a 1970 interview: "The Spanish-speaking American boy sees Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid wipe out a regiment of Bolivian soldiers. He sees 'The Wild Bunch' annihilate the Mexican army. It's only natural for him to say, 'Gee, I wish I were an Anglo.'" Montalban was no stranger to prejudice. He was born Nov. 25, 1920, in Mexico City , the son of parents who had emigrated from Spain . The boy was brought up to speak the Castilian Spanish of his forebears.

To Mexican ears that sounded strange and effeminate, and young Ricardo was jeered by his schoolmates. His mother also dressed him with old-country formality, and he wore lace collars and short pants "long after my legs had grown long and hairy," he wrote in his 1980 autobiography, "Reflections: A Life in Two Worlds." "It is not easy to grow up in a country that has different customs from your own family's." While driving through Texas with his brother, Montalban recalled seeing a sign on a diner: "No Dogs or Mexicans Allowed." In Los Angeles, where he attended Fairfax High School , he and a friend were refused entrance to a dance hall because they were Mexican. Rather than seek a career in Hollywood, Montalban played summer stock in New York . He returned to Mexico City and played leading roles in movies from 1941 to 1945. That led to an MGM contract. "Movies were never kind to me; I had to fight for every inch of film," he reflected in 1970.

"Usually my best scenes would end up on the cutting-room floor." Montalban had better luck after leaving MGM in 1953, though he was usually cast in ethnic roles. He appeared as a Japanese kabuki actor in "Sayonara" and an Indian in "Cheyenne Autumn." His other films included "Madame X," ''The Singing Nun," ''Sweet Charity," ''Escape from the Planet of the Apes" and "Conquest of the Planet of the Apes." Montalban was sometimes said to be the source of Billy Crystal 's "you look MAHvelous" character on " Saturday Night Live ," though the inspiration was really Argentinian-born actor Fernando Lamas . In 1944, Montalban married Georgiana Young , actress and model and younger sister of actress Loretta Young . Both Roman Catholics, they remained one of Hollywood's most devoted couples. She died in 2007. They had four children: Laura, Mark, Anita and Victor. Montalban suffered a spinal injury in a horse fall while making a 1951 Clark Gable Western, "Across the Wide Missouri," and thereafter walked with a limp he managed to mask during his performances.

Despite the constant pain that grew worse as the decades wore on, the actor was able to take a role in an Aaron Spelling TV series, "Heaven Help Us." Twice a month in 1994, he flew to San Antonio for two or three days of filming as an angel who watched over a young couple. And when asked to play the grandfather in "Spy Kids 2" and "Spy Kids 3," Montalban told filmmaker Robert Rodriguez in his self-effacing way: "I'm old. I'm in a wheelchair. And I have a Mexican accent. Three strikes and you're out," recalled Joel Brokaw , another of the actor's spokesmen. "But Robert Rodriguez idolized Ricardo, and came up to his home in the Hollywood Hills to convince him to do the role," Brokaw said. He did, and despite his obvious pain while waiting to do a scene, "something miraculous would happen," Brokaw said. "As soon as Rodriguez said 'Action,' his pain would completely disappear, time and time again. I asked him about this.

He smiled and said, 'It's impossible for my mind to do two things at once.'" Montalban is survived by daughters Laura and Anita, sons Victor and Mark and six grandchildren.

Question: On which TV island might you have found actor Ricardo Montalban?
Answer: Fantasy